PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — This is the ultimate home game for Patrick Cantlay.
So, Cantlay, a Los Angeles native and graduate of nearby UCLA, has looked right at home at Riviera Country Club, where he’s in command of the Genesis Invitational at the halfway mark.
Cantlay has built a five-shot lead through 36 holes to take into the weekend after following his opening-round 64 with a second-round bogey-free 65 on Friday to get to 13-under par.
He’s trailed by Jason Day, Luke List and MacKenzie Hughes, who are all 8-under par. Corey Connors is 7-under, Xander Schauffele, Will Zalatoris and Tom Hoge are all 6-under par. Tony Finau and Hideki Matsuyama are 5-under.
As good as Cantlay has been this week, his prowess was overshadowed by Tiger Woods, the tournament host who was playing in his first full-field tournament since he withdrew from the 2023 Masters, withdrawing mid-round with flu symptoms.
Woods had to be driven off the course in a cart by a rules official after hitting his tee shot on the seventh hole because of what he reported through his business partner and manager Rob McNamara as flu-like illness.
The only player who had a day as bad as Woods was Jordan Spieth, who finished 3-under par after a disappointing double bogey on the 18th hole, but minutes later was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. Spieth signed for a 3 on the par-3 fourth hole and actually made a 4.
“Today, I signed for an incorrect scorecard and stepped out of the scoring area, after thinking I went through all procedures to make sure it was correct,” Spieth posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Rules are rules, and I take full responsibility.”
But none of these other player issues mattered much to Cantlay, who has the look of a player who’s about to boat race the field. The fact that he estimates he’s played some 25 or so college matches on the course certainly helps.
two rounds.
“Yeah, it feels like a home game,’’ Cantlay said. “It’s a golf course I played so many times, I feel comfortable. It’s a golf course I’m really comfortable on and it’s in the best shape I’ve ever seen it. It’s the best putting surfaces I’ve ever seen around this place. I like when the greens are really fast. They’re as fast as I’ve ever seen them and I’ve made a bunch. To go bogey-free around here is a treat.’’
One of the treats of the day came from Zalatoris, who aced the par-3 14th hole and won a Genesis car for both himself and his caddie, Joel Stock.
“I just pulled it about 10 feet and it landed perfectly on the fringe and killed it,’’ Zalatoris said. “Lucky to go in. It was a nice little bonus.’’
Stock called the yardage “a perfect number for a 7 [iron], just a little bit of [wind] hurt,’’ adding, “It was tracking the whole way. One of those ones we were kind of like up and down the pin the whole time, and when the crowd went crazy, we went crazy, too.’’
Day sitting in second place is somewhat of a surprise considering he’s never been a big fan of Riviera because, until a top-10 finish last year, he’d never played very well on it.
“In my early days, I disliked this golf course,’’ Day said. “I think it’s just a little bit of [better] attitude definitely goes a long way.’’
Several players made strong second-round runs after posting high numbers in the opening round, beginning with Max Homa, who like Cantlay is an L.A. local. Homa, who won this tournament in 2021, joked before it that he’s “kind of double defending, because I’m like the last champion that’s still here, which is sweet.’’
Joaquin Niemann won in 2022 and Jon Rahm won last year, and both are now playing for LIV Golf and not eligible to play PGA Tour events.
“This is one of my favorite places in the planet, my favorite Tour stop,’’ Homa said.
After shooting 2-over on Thursday, he played that way Friday with a 6-under-par 65.
Cameron Young, the pride of Sleepy Hollow Country Club, followed a first-round 1-over-par 72 with a 5-under-par 66 Friday to get to 4-under for the tournament. And Rory McIlroy, after a 3-over-par 74 Thursday, played himself into the weekend with a 5-under-par 66 Friday.
The weekend, though, belongs to Cantlay, his hometown tournament that he’s yet to win in his hands, 36 holes away.
“I’ll take leading by as many as I can,’’ Cantlay said. “[But] we’re half done. Stay in the moment and trust the process that I have. I have a good game plan for this golf course and I’ll just stick to it.’’
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